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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29498769">The Convict Ian Brought Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/labelma/pseuds/labelma'>labelma</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, M/M, POV Outsider, Set during season 10, Tami's POV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:13:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,038</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29498769</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/labelma/pseuds/labelma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tami isn't sure how she feels about the new arrivals in the Gallagher house, specifically the gay convict with offensive knuckle tattoos.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Lip Gallagher/Tami Tamietti</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>495</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>my favorite gallavich fanfictions</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Convict Ian Brought Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Y'all... This fic has been through it. I think I started writing it last summer and then abandoned it because I wasn't sure what to do with it. Then a few months ago I tried to revamp it but got distracted by the idea for my multichap (<a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28446714/chapters/69707883">which you should check out</a>). But I've recently seen some interest in Tami's POV of gallavich, and you all know I'm a slut for outsider POVs, so I figured, why not fix this up and post it? So here we are! </p>
<p>Many thanks to Maria, Shoshana, Taylor, and Emma, all of whom helped me with this fic. Hope y'all enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tami is tired. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More tired than she’s ever been in her life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All because of a tiny screaming human she isn’t totally sure she even wants, and she’s pretty sure he hates her even though he grew </span>
  <em>
    <span>out of her body.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It doesn’t help that Lip seems so much better at this than she does, or that Fred keeps throwing up on her, or that the house is stuffed to bursting with undocumented Mexican migrants and convicts. Well, only two convicts that she knows of, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>still. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Mexicans do leave, to Tami’s great relief, though Ian’s convict boyfriend is still hanging around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, how long is Ian planning on keeping his boyfriend around?” Tami asks Lip while he’s slowly lowering Freddie into his crib.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mickey? Probably a while. He lived here for some time a few years ago.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This is news to her. She’d honestly been of the belief that Ian and Mickey had met in prison. But this does make more sense. It explains everyone’s familiarity and comfort with the strange and gruff man who just showed up one day out of the blue and began acting like the Gallagher house was his home all along. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami huffs. She was hoping to convince Lip to kick him out but it doesn’t help that this insanity has been such a constant in Lip’s life that it all seems normal to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s the farthest thing from normal for her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So him and Ian knew each other before prison?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lip isn’t even looking at her. He’s looking at Freddie. Sometimes Tami feels like Lip only really cares about her as the vessel that brought his son into the world. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah they go way back. Been together on and off since they were teenagers.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami hums, wondering how to approach this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what was he in prison for?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lip, satisfied that Freddie is well and truly asleep, finally turns to look at her, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Attempted murder I think. Or knowingly poisoning someone or something like that. Why are you so curious about him?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami shoots up of the bed, eyes wide open, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You let a murderer into the house with a baby? Are you smoking crack? Oh my God you are smoking crack because that is the only explanation that makes any sense.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lip puts a hand on her shoulder like he thinks it’ll calm her down but she shakes him off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Chill out, I said attempted murder, and it was a trumped up charge anyways. If he wasn’t from a known crime family he would have never been convicted.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami must be having a stroke because this just keeps getting worse and worse. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lip are you kidding me? An attempted murderer from a notorious crime family and you’re fine letting him sleep under the same roof as your newborn son?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lip is looking at her like </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>the crazy one. Like </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>crazy for wanting to protect her child, for thinking that none of this is normal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami had a totally average suburban childhood. Growing up, her parents were well educated, loving, made sure her and her sisters always had everything they needed. Of course they had their challenges too, when Tami’s mom died they all had to step up in ways they had never expected to. But still, she thinks she grew up relatively well adjusted and healthy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Logically, she knew the same couldn’t exactly be said for the Gallaghers, obviously just by virtue of having grown up on the Southside their lives would have been vastly different from her’s. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet, despite logically knowing they had wildly different upbringings than her, she wasn’t totally prepared for the reality of the Gallagher house. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The reality being a constant flow of randos in and out, and an insanely high tolerance for situations that would drive any suburbanite insane- like her now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve known Mickey forever. We used to beat each other up in grade school. I know him enough to feel safe letting him stay here with Freddie. Besides, even if I wasn’t okay with it, this is as much Ian’s house as it is mine, and if Ian wants him here that’s his decision.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Really, none of this makes her feel better. Knowing that Mickey grew up with Lip doesn’t make her feel better considering the neighborhood. And to be quite honest, Tami doesn’t quite trust Ian’s judgment either. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And granted, Tami doesn’t know Ian so well, but she does know that he’s a diagnosed bipolar with a penchant for going off his meds and doing crazy shit, like blowing up vans and getting sent to prison. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you’re really going to trust Ian on this? Ian who has historically made terrible decisions? Such as blowing up a van and thinking he was God? If it was entirely up to me I wouldn’t let Ian around Freddie either.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lip still has that annoyingly calm demeanor about him, like he thinks she’s insane and he’s judging her for it. Can he not see that literally everything about this situation is insane </span>
  <em>
    <span>except her</span>
  </em>
  <span>? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tami, I know this is all new for you, but could you just trust me for once? And sure, maybe Ian has made bad decisions in the past, but keeping Mickey around isn’t one of those.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami huffs, and stalks out of the room. She can’t deal with this. She’s going for a walk. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Okay, Canaryville isn’t the ideal neighborhood to go to for a nighttime stroll, but Tami is covered in a baby vomit, probably has crazy eyes, and is maybe three seconds away from a nervous breakdown. So if someone tries to abduct her, they’re going to have to deal with all of that, and really it will be worse for them than for her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So she walks. And walks. And walks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Until… well, until she’s cold and bored of walking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hoped the nighttime air would give her some clarity on the situation but really everything smells like trash and cigarette smoke, and Tami has never been one for inner serenity anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So she heads back to the house. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she’s within half a block of the Gallagher house she hears Freddie crying and Tami almost turns around to keep walking, but she’s getting really cold and her incision is stinging like a motherfucker. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever, she’ll let Lip deal with it and go to bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She walks in quietly through the front door, and while she’s happy for the warmth, she isn’t quite ready to face her son or partner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Freddie is still screaming his head off and Tami can hear Lip making shushing noises trying to calm him down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s about to make a quiet dash for the stairs when she hears someone coming down them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami quickly ducks around the corner of the entrance hall, not quite sure why she’s hiding, but now she’s committed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jesus, that kid has a pair of lungs on him.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she was more awake, Mickey’s voice would likely have Tami dashing into the living room to grab her son where she can keep him far away from the man, but right now, she can’t bring herself to do much more than lean against the wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You need something Mick?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least Lip sounds as tired as she feels. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, but Ian just managed to fall asleep. I don’t want him to wake up, this whole PO thing is stressing him out.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that’s… surprisingly sweet? Tami isn’t sure what she expected from the man but it wasn’t this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I’d like to help, but I’m already doing what I can. I can’t control when the baby decides to cry.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami feels an odd sort of vindication when she hears the annoyance in Lip’s voice. Though her triumphance disappears when she hears Mickey grunt and mumble to Lip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hand him over.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now Tami is going to interrupt because she does not want Mickey holding her child, except, Fred’s screams are quieting into soft whimpers and eventually he falls silent. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy shit how’d you do that?” Asks Lip, sounding about as shocked as Tami is. She peeks around the corner to find Mickey holding Freddie against his arm facing downward like a little football. He seems remarkably comfortable for a baby that was just screaming bloody murder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sometimes you gotta hold ‘em face down like this. Something to do with gravity or some shit.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lip falls onto the couch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go upstairs,” Mickey says to him, voice softer than Tami has ever heard it, “Go to sleep, you look like death. I’ll hang out with the kid until he falls asleep.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lip doesn’t ask twice, just hefts himself off the couch and up the back staircase. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Twenty minutes ago, if someone suggested Freddie be left alone at night with Mickey, Tami would probably have yelled at them, but now maybe, just maybe, she isn’t so worried about that anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami hesitantly moves from behind the corner to find Mickey on the couch, still holding her son upside down, looking contemplative. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Show me how you hold him like that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mickey jumps slightly but relaxes when he sees Tami. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stands and motions for her to come closer with a jerk of his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she comes to stand next to him, Tami notices that despite the dubious knuckle tattoos, Mickey really isn’t that scary looking at all. He’s got laugh lines and his hands are gentle with Freddie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He motions for her to put her arms out, and gently lays Freddie so that his face is tucked against the crook of her arm and his body is supported by her forearm. He makes sweet baby noises and nuzzles into her. Maybe her son doesn’t hate her after all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mickey sinks into the couch, leaning his head up against the back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami, somewhat reluctantly, sits next him, still holding her son. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why aren’t you in bed?” Tami asks, because if she’s going to sit here with Mickey, she’s at least going to make conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Too quiet, can’t sleep. And I didn’t want to wake Ian.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami snorts, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gallagher House </span>
  </em>
  <span>is too quiet for you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mickey shrugs, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is when you’re used to prison.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami isn’t quite sure what to say to that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turns to look at her, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you don’t trust me, but just so you know, I would never do anything to hurt a baby,” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami splutters, about to argue that she never said that (even though she definitely did). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you were thinking it. But I’m not a monster, just someone who made some bad decisions. Besides, Ian loves that baby. You think I’d do anything to hurt someone he loves?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tami is bewildered. She feels a bit embarrassed for being called out, but mostly she feels disoriented at having gotten someone so wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the last ten minutes, her perception of Mickey, and of his relationship with Ian, has sifted entirely on its head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She never thought Mickey would be so thoughtful, so devoted to Ian when she never even knew Ian was in a relationship. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lip had told her Ian and Mickey had been together on and off since they were kids but she never really considered what that meant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s curious, and she wants to know more, though she isn’t sure how to ask. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How’d you know how to handle a baby so well?” Asks Tami, trying to pry just the smallest bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mickey looks at her for a moment before looking away at nothing in particular. His gaze is far off, and she’s not sure what he’s thinking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s just say this isn’t my first time with an infant.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that answers absolutely nothing, but Tami isn’t exactly in a position to be demanding painful life stories, which this seems to be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mickey yawns, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I’m gonna head up. Good luck with the little guy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Mickey is any example, Tami thinks she needs to be better about not judging people based on assumptions and stereotypes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She makes herself a promise to try and get to know Mickey, and Ian better, and to try to be a little more accepting of her boyfriend’s family and upbringing. Even if it all still seems like another world to her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos are always appreciated :) &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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